Elizabeth Pinke wins state shot put title as Hatton-Northwood finishes 1-2
May 23—BISMARCK — Hatton-Northwood track and field coach Molly Griep says her top throwers Elizabeth Pinke and Trista Bilden push each other in everything they do: throwing, basketball and golf.
On Thursday, that competitive spirit paid off big for the Thunder.
Hatton-Northwood leads the team race Thursday after finishing 1-2 in the shot put.
Pinke won the shot put with a throw of 41 feet, 7 inches, which was less than an inch better than runner-up Bilden.
"Elizabeth is a gamer," Griep said. "Trista threw a big one and Elizabeth has that competitive drive. Elizabeth is one of the best teammates I've ever coached. The first thing she did was give Trista a hug. She's a great human. The sky is the limit for her. I have two awesome kids because they're easy to coach with the internal motivation they have."
It could be a big weekend for the Hatton-Northwood throwing duo. Pinke is one of the favorites in Friday's discus, while Bilden is one of the favorites in Saturday's javelin.
"It's a great day to be part of Hatton-Northwood track," Griep said. "I'm a pretty lucky coach."
Pinke and Bilden were 1-2 running away as third-place finisher Dagan Slade of Nelson County threw 37-4.
Griep was proud of Northeast North Dakota producing the top three places in the event.
Hatton-Northwood leads the team race with 21.5 points with help from the pole vault, where Brynley Coleman finished with a jump of 9-6.
Fargo Oak Grove sits in second with 20 points, followed by Bowman County with 16.
Ella Olson of Oak Grove won the long jump with a jump of 18 feet, 4.25 inches.
In the pole vault, Anna Clifton of Dickinson Trinity won the event at 10 feet. Alyssa Hoyles of Drayton-Valley-Edinburg was second at 9-9.
In the 3,200, Brynn Hanson of Des Lacs-Burlington finished first in 11:27.68.
On the Class B boys side, the area produced two second-place finishes on the opening day.
Deng Deng, a Four Winds athlete competing with New Rockford-Sheyenne, was second in the long jump.
In the shot put, Griggs Midkota's Levi Kautzman finished runner-up to Riley Sunram. Nate Tastad of Rolette-Wolford was third, while Jordan Sunstrom of Grafton was sixth and Reuben Clay of North Star was seventh.
In the 3,200, Tanner Wanner of Bowman County won in 9:29.57.
